


Tips

by Avistella



Category: Mystic Messenger (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Gender-neutral Reader, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, POV Second Person, Reader-Insert
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-10
Updated: 2017-12-10
Packaged: 2019-02-12 20:13:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,080
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12967533
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Avistella/pseuds/Avistella
Summary: You can’t fall asleep for some reason, and it worries Zen.





	Tips

**Author's Note:**

  * For [silver94@Tumblr](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=silver94%40Tumblr).



> Gift request for silver94@Tumblr

You lie wide awake in bed, staring blankly at the cieling. A part of you feels compelled to glance at the time and check on how long you’ve been awake for, but you decide against it, knowing full well that it wouldn’t help with your predicament. Most of the buzz of the city outside has died down into peaceful silence, and there isn’t a single light in sight.

Breathing out a quiet sigh, you try to pay attention to your surroundings as an attempt to get your mind off of the fact that you can’t fall asleep. You can hear Zen’s deep breaths from beside you, having fallen asleep before you who knows how long ago. It almost makes you jealous how he was able to reach the land of dreams so easily and quickly compared to you, but at the very least, he’s getting the rest he deserves and needs.

Once again, another sigh slips past your lips, and you turn to lie on your side. You remain there for a few seconds before scrunching your eyebrows and deciding that the position was uncomfortable. You toss and turn to lie on your other side, but it doesn’t feel any more comfortable than before. Your shifting movements rouses Zen from his slumber, and he groggily calls your name.

“Sorry,” you whisper. “Did I wake you?”

The actor hums, not necessarily affirming your question, but you still feel guilty. Slowly, the young man cracks his heavy eyelids open, and a lazy smile crosses his features. He removes his arm from under the pillow and instead reaches out to trail his fingertips along your cheek.

“Have you been awake this whole time?” He asks, his voice husky from the sleep he still hasn’t fully woken up from. There’s a hint of concern lying behind his question, especially since this has been happening for over a week now.

Knowing that there’s no good in lying, you exhale a sigh of defeat. “Yes…”

* * *

“Hm, perhaps it’s iceberg stress,” Jaehee offers her suggestion with a thoughtful hum before she takes a sip from her coffee. Both Jaehee and Zen happened to bump into each other during the young woman’s lunch break, and the two decided to catch up since it was rare to find free time together. When the conversation shifted to Zen’s relationship with you, he laid out his concerns for your well-being, hoping Jaehee might have some advice as he listed out the problems you’ve been facing as of late.

“Iceberg stress?” Zen repeats with a confused tone, cocking his head to the side as he was unfamiliar with the term.

The young woman nods her head and tries to explain, “Sometimes, when we become so accustomed to something, we tend to forget that it’s there. We aren’t aware of the stress, but it’s still there and in turn affecting our bodies in negative ways since we don’t try to fix it if it isn’t in the forefront of our mind.”

Zen taps his fingers on the surface of the table as he lets this new information sink in. He supposes it does make sense. Jaehee opens her mouth to offer some more advice and tips, but her cell phone pings to signal that it’s time for her to head back to the office before her break’s over. She excuses herself and says her farewells, leaving Zen alone to think about what he can do for you.

That night, Zen is the first one in bed, leaning back against the headrest with his phone in hand as he waits for you to finish up with whatever it is you’re doing. The heavy that falls from your lips alerts the young man of your presence, and he peers up from his screen before flashing you a smile which you mirror, albeit with some difficulty.

You slip underneath the covers on your side of the bed as Zen puts his phone away to give you his full undivided attention. Once you’re settled in and comfortable, he wraps an arm around your waist and pulls you close to his chest. The pair of you engage in light and idle conversation before the actor shifts the topic to the one he wants to talk about.

“Babe, have you ever heard of iceberg stress?” He asks, and you purse your lips for a moment to think. When you shake your head, he relays the same information he heardfrom Jaehee earlier that day to you, and you slowly nod your head in understanding. Placing a lingering kiss on the crown of your head, Zen continues, “I worry about you and your health, and I want to help you in whatever way I can. Would it be alright if we can try out a few things together to help with your stress?”

The way Zen’s voice wavers from pure concern for your well-being makes your heart flutter, and you can’t possibly refuse such a considerate request. “Of course,” you answer him.

The actor’s face lights up from your response, and he squeezes you tighter against him as a sign of appreciation. A part of him was afraid that you would be stubborn and refuse, wanting to deal with your problem yourself, so he was extremely happy to have you let him in. “Thank you,” he murmurs against your hair before pulling back a bit to look into your eyes. “I was thinking that we can set aside some time in the evening to just talk about whatever’s on our minds. It can be just simple things like how our day went, or it can be about anything that’s been nagging at us, just as long as we don’t hold anything back.”

You hum in approval. “Mkay.”

“And also,” the young man adds, “I was thinking we can try to do some breathing exercises together as well.”

Your expression softens when you see just how determined Zen is about all this, and you can’t help but giggle as you reach up to stroke his cheek with your fingers. “You’ve really thought this out through, haven’t you?” You acknowledge all the time and effort he’s put into researching about this subject.

The young man closes his eyes for a moment, taking your hand into his own and bringing it to his lips to kiss your knuckles. “Of course I have,” he says, breathing out a quiet sigh. “I would do anything for you, you know that.”

“I do, and I’m always thankful.”


End file.
